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For tangential reasons, we’ve had a pristine 1997 Acura NSX (yes, red) in our garage, and it sparked a conversation between big gun Angus McKenzie, photographer Mike Shaffer, and me about Honda‘s increasingly erratic direction since that car. What modern Honda, we asked ourselves, has the NSX’s clarity of vision and sheer technical sparkle? After a moment, I said “the Fit.” And after another moment of furrowed brows, we agreed that indeed it is the best example.

So I guess it shouldn’t be a surprise that the Fit’s EV version, which Honda showed the press at the Rose Bowl’s parking lot in Pasadena, provides another flash of that masterful engineering. Frankly, when I walked into the technical presentation, I was expecting to find a Fit disemboweled of its combustion organs and crammed with batteries. And maybe a few excuses.

Well, it’s crammed with batteries, alright. But this is Honda in rare form, re-engineering the car so thoroughly it’s clear the automaker is thinking — at least technologically — beyond the logistical necessities of California’s looming zero-emissions mandate. And I say that despite the appearance of Honda’s current plan, which is to lease a mere 1100 of EV Fits in select markets (the usual suspects — L.A., San Francisco, Sacramento, Portland, and later, a few big cities in the east). But before driving it, let’s slowly walk by it from front to back, and consider what Honda’s done.

Here we are at the front. Hmmm, does that smile on the nose ring a visual bell? It’s a riff on the face of Honda’s remarkable hydrogen-fueled electric FCX Clarity. But here the grin’s been fastened to a completely revised nose, reshaped to ingest less air and reduce drag. The smile’s appropriate though, because behind it is 123 hp and 189 lb-ft of torque sourced from the Clarity’s very same electric motor. It’s the identical hardware, only “detuned” via rewritten software. And if you recall, it’s an unusual piece, architecturally speaking, as one of the two half-shafts sprouting from the single-speed reduction gearset passes right through the motor’s centerline on its way to the wheel on the far side. In other words, the motor’s rotor shaft is hollow; the half-shaft can, concentrically, pass right through it. Smart packaging in the Fit style.

Just ahead of the driver’s door is the flap concealing the blessed sight of the SAE-standard J1772 charging receptacle, which is backed by a 6.6 kW on-board charger. That’s twice the charging rate of Nissan‘s Leaf, and a nose-to-nose match for the recently introduced Ford Focus EV. How long does charging take? That has plenty to do with the smaller, 20 kW-hr size of the Toshiba SCiB lithium-ion battery, which is more resistant to shorts and degradation and inherently quicker to charge. The Leaf’s battery is 24 kW-hrs, the Focus’, 23, so the Fit EV’s 3-hour charging time (from a “low state-of-charge”) from a 240-volt source isn’t surprising. What is, though, is the car’s 82-mile range. Given that the Leaf’s is 73 miles, and the Focus’ is 76, how could the Fit beat those two with a smaller battery? Remember, Honda has been finessing the super-efficient FCX Clarity for quite awhile, and efficiency is imbedded in Honda’s very DNA.

As with Tesla‘s Model S, the Fit EV’s battery resides in a slab beneath the floor. But instead of impinging on interior room, the entire chassis has been elevated above it by 1.6 inches (reminiscent of the 1997 EV Plus, if you recall). That’s right: The Fit EV is noticeably taller. To keep its underwear from showing, there are added rocker panels plus plastic eyebrows above the wheel wells. It looks a lot better than it sounds.

Before going any further, let’s pause at the driver’s seat. On the left edge of the dash are a trio of buttons for selecting performance modes, normal being 75 kW; econ, 47 (providing perfectly acceptable acceleration) i; and sport, 92 kW. But what’s more interesting is below the dash: the brake pedal.

What your foot feels when it presses the Fit EV’s brake pedal is actually a simulation of stopping feel. Yes, a simulation. During anything short of emergency braking (when valves open for old-fashioned friction stopping via pedal-activated hydraulic lines) the Fit EV attempts to halt itself by pure regenerative resistance from the traction motor. Here and there, it’s still supplemented by doses of friction braking (particularly at the end), but even that’s derived from a fast-reacting electric motor that locally pressurizes the caliper’s hydraulics. The key point is that this really is brake by wire, and it’s computer orchestrated. And what it eliminates is the slight bit of friction drag that current EVs (Leaf) suffer during what we think of as pure regen braking. Remember that mysteriously greater driving range? Here’s part of the answer. (Another is that the car weighs 130 pounds less than the Leaf.)

The battery pack extends sternward enough that it would have intruded on the twist beam rear suspension had it not been replaced by a more compact multi-link affair. And this is exactly what I mean by Honda being in rare form. Recently, I drove the Ford Focus EV, and, while I’m impressed by it, the battery packaging is a mess — part of it is in a clumsy box in the cargo area. Moreover, as the Fit EV’s battery fills the void normally exploited as the wonderfully reconfigurable “magic seat,” Honda has made the best of the situation by completely redesigning and repositioning the second row. It’s 3.3-inches more rearward, creating a span between the front and rear seat’s H-points comparable to the Accords. Its seatback is also reclined 4 degrees more, and it’s way more comfortable. True, there’s less cargo space, because when the 60/40 split rear seatback is folded forward it creates a load-floor step. But this isn’t much different than many other hatchbacks. The Fit’s rear cap and roof extension are as re-imagined as the nose’s to accommodate its taller height and create better-controlled air separation lines. Finally, if you get on your hands and knees and peek underneath, you’ll see great spans of plastic underbody fairing, also to smooth the airflow.

Now let’s climb in. In addition to the now de rigueur phone app that provides real-time battery status, climate control, and charge timing, those interactions are conveniently mirrored on a giant remote-control key fob containing its own little display.

In addition to a brief lap around the Pasadena streets and freeway, where the Fit EV exhibited very reasonable wind and suspension impact and noise levels, we were able to let loose around a couple of cone courses in the Rose Bowl parking. Given the car’s taller profile, you’d expect prodigious tipping. But actually, the Honda’s center of gravity is lower than the gas cars, so the Fit’s handling feel just as flat and nimble. The Fit has always had knife-sharp handling; now, with an electric drivetrain, the car’s “throttle” response is just as immediate and precise. In addition to a D slot, the shifter adds a B option for greater lift-throttle regen, and that simulated brake feel felt pretty good without a trace of regen-to-friction fishiness. Within a lap I was giddily drifting it — electric golf cart, my arse. It’s a hoot, and I’d reckon it’s even more fun than the gas version.

The three-year lease price of $389 per month (including collision insurance) brings it to an equivalent price of $36,625; the fully loaded Fit EV isn’t cheap. (The Leaf can be had for $28,550; the Focus EV, for $32,495 after available federal tax credits for both.) Nevertheless, with only 1100 of them available, you’d better get with it if you’re interested.

Lastly, let’s step back and put this car into perspective. When the Leaf appeared, it was pretty cutting-edge for an EV: 73 miles of range, a 7-hour 240-volt charge time, and the electrical equivalent of 99 mpg. The Focus EV raised the range to 76, cut its charge time to between 3 and 4 hours, and raised the mpge bar to 105. Now we have the Fit EV, able to travel 82 miles, charge in as little as 3 hours, and deliver 118 mpge, making it the most efficient car available in America. This is rapid progress, and darn fun to watch from the car journalist bleachers. And particularly now that Honda has broadened its EV interest from purely fuel cell vehicles, and finally fully embraced the battery EV. That NSX sparkle just might be returning.

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2013 Honda Fit News and Reviews

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